The easy course creation module offers the possibility to define differently configured course creation workflows to cover different use cases, starting from a simple configuration including course details to more complex ones that allow content and participants to be added. In addition, the workflow can be adjusted using the workflow usage options for learners recording external courses in which they have participated or requesting participation in.
Steps to Configure Record Course by Learner
-
Configure an appropriate workflow, so that all desired workflow steps and details are in place. Usage: Record external course by the participant (already done trainings).
-
Assigning “execute” rights for the workflow, so that the feature can be properly used
-
Assigning “execute” rights for all desired templates, so that the user has access to use it
-
Set up navigation entry - so that the learner has a direct entry point to record a course already completed
-
Default menu “Simplified course creation”
-
Use “Created”
-
Workflow → the workflow defined in step 1 should be assigned
-
Steps to Configure Request Course by Learner
-
Configure an appropriate workflow, so that all desired workflow steps and details are in place. Usage: External course request by the participant (future dates)
-
Assigning “execute” rights for the workflow, so that the feature can be properly used
-
Assigning “execute” rights for all desired templates, so that the user has access to use it
-
Set up navigation entry - so that the learner has a direct entry point to record a course already completed
-
Default menu “Simplified course creation”
-
Use “Created”
-
Workflow → the workflow defined in step 1 should be assigned
-
Steps to Configure Course Creation by Supervisor
-
Configure an appropriate workflow, so that all desired workflow steps and details are in place. Usage: Course created by the manager
-
Assigning “execute” rights for the workflow, so that the feature can be properly used
-
Assigning “execute” rights for all desired templates, so that the user has access to use it
-
Set up navigation entry - so that the supervisor has a direct entry point to record a course already completed
-
Default menu “Simplified course creation”
-
Use “Created”
-
Workflow → the workflow defined in step 1 should be assigned
-
Steps to Configure Manage Courses
-
Configure an appropriate workflow, so that all desired workflow steps and details are in place. For Manage Courses, either the same workflow can be used as for course creation by the manager, or a separate workflow if a different configuration is to be used.
-
Assigning “execute” rights for the workflow, so that the feature can be properly used
-
Assigning “execute” rights for all desired templates, so that the user has access to use it
-
Set up navigation entry - so that the supervisor has a direct entry point to maintain courses, that were already created
-
Default menu “Simplified course creation”
-
Use “Manage courses”
-
Workflow → the workflow defined in step 1 should be assigned
-
Steps to Configure Course Tutoring
-
Configure an appropriate workflow, so that all desired workflow steps and details are in place
-
Set up navigation entry “course tutoring” to have access to the tutor area
-
Default menu “Simplified course creation”
-
Use “course tutoring”
-
Workflow (the one created in step 1)
-
-
Configure tutor roles so that depending on the scenario, the appropriate functions are in place (e.g. one tutor role should only edit components, second tutor role should only be able to work with attendance tracking)
-
Assignment of tutors (including role assignment) to courses, so that all the courses, where the tutor is assigned, are displayed in the navigation entry
Creation Steps of the Course Creation Workflow
Set up a new Workflow
The “Course creation workflow” manager provides the possibility to create new workflows, define their usage, enable or disable a set of steps, and define step-specific configurations.
A navigation entry can be added by creating a new Default menu (Navigation/Create/Menu), choosing Course creation workflow as a default menu type, and using the course_creation identifier.
The Workflow ID can be specified when creating a navigation entry of this type.
By default, the following steps are active: Choose template and course details, Add content, Add participants, and the Course overview
Workflows can be removed, duplicated, or edited. A workflow name and description can be provided.
Each step can be edited, and a step name and description can be provided. The text defined as the subtitle for the workflow will be the text displayed as a workflow name in the front end. For each step, the name and the description will be displayed to the user while navigating through the steps in the workflow.
Workflow Use
There are three usages currently available for selection:
-
Course creation by the manager
When this usage is selected, the courses created by using the workflow will be created as internal courses. The creator will not be automatically assigned to the course. -
External course recording by the learner
When this usage is selected, the course creation process using the workflow will only allow the creation of external courses, based on external course templates. For this type of usage, dates in the future are not allowed. If the enrolment type of the course is set without confirmation, the user who is creating the external course using this workflow is automatically set to pass. Any of the other enrolment types will result in a Requested state. -
External course request by learner
When this usage is selected, the external course creation process will only allow dates in the future. If the enrolment type of the course is set without confirmation, the user creating the external course using this workflow is automatically assigned the enrolled status. Any other enrolment type will result in a requested state.
General Workflow Behaviour
In the front end, all steps in the workflow have an indicator in the header, allowing the remaining number of steps and the completed steps to be identified.
The workflow can be navigated backwards by selecting the corresponding step once that step is completed. It is not possible to navigate forwards via the indicators without first saving the current step. Once a template is selected and the course details are filled in and saved, the course is created. Navigating back to step 1 to choose a different template affects the creation of a new course.
A detailed description of what each step covers can be found below.
Workflow Steps to be Followed While Creating a Course
Step 1: Choose a Course Template
-
For a course template to be available in ILP for the Easy course creation, this will have to have both check-boxes for "Available in external applications" (course type) and "To use in workflow for course creation" (course type or course template) marked.
-
ACLs are required for a course template in order for the template to be visible in the selection list.
-
The Template selection step can be configured as follows:
-
It can be defined that a unique template can be used with this workflow. This means that the template selection step is skipped for the user and the creation starts with the predefined template. This requires that users have access rights to the given template.
-
It can be defined which display mode the template list should have: Either one tile per row or three tiles per row.
-
It can be defined that the search field is hidden.
-
It can be defined how many search results should be displayed at once.
-
-
It is only possible to create courses via the Easy Course Creation from single language templates.
-
The meta tags visible in this section are based on the following values, defined for the course level: Requires (highlighted with a *), Editable, and Not editable.
-
Not all meta tags that can be added to the course template are supported in easy course creation
-
Classifications can be added via “Meta tag for classifications”, a custom meta tag that can be populated with a specific main classification. Adding the meta tag to the template allows selection of any child of this particular main classification, based on the classification configuration.
Add classifications
Step 2: Additional Information
In the "Additional Information" step, a distinction is made between functions intended for learners and those intended for supervisors.
The description tab includes three options: skills, certificates, and certifications, which are primarily relevant for learners. With these options, certifications and skills can be entered for the learner after they have been acquired for the course. Certification and skills are credited to the user after the participation status for the course has been set to completed. The certifications and skills are displayed based on the clearances. With the certificate function, an externally gained certificate can be uploaded. Settings in the meta tag certificate type are also taken into account here.
If courses are to be assigned skills and certifications when created, it should be noted that the template on which the creation process is based must also have the “skills” and “certifications” tabs.
The tab "Meta Tags and Attributes" is mainly intended for supervisors. A possible use case could involve displaying only mandatory fields in step 1, where course details are entered, and including additional optional fields in step 2 under "Additional Information."
To use this functionality, the relevant meta tags must be added to the course template as editable. These meta tags, which are then added both to the course template and to the “Meta tags and attributes” tab, are displayed only under additional information. Meta tags added in the “meta tags and attributes” tab but not included in the course template are not displayed.
Step 3: Add Content to the Course
This step can only be activated for workflows with the usage “Course creation by manager”. It is not enabled for external course creation workflow usage.
This step is accessible when the user has the ACLs required to access the Course progress (Administrator) report.
Based on the selected course template, the list of content is populated and organised in folders. Only a first-level folder structure is currently supported.
When editing this step, it can be specified whether folders can be created, whether content can be added, and whether new content can be created. If all options are configured, additional folders can be added or existing ones removed, and content can be added to existing or new folders by selecting from a list of items based on ACLs.
Furthermore, new content can be created via the easy media upload function.
Step 4: Add Participants to the Course
This step can only be activated for workflows with usage: Course creation by manager. It is not enabled for external course creation workflow usage. Participants can be added to the course either individually or by group. After saving the changes, participants added by mistake can be cancelled by using the cancellation form. Both selection lists are generated based on the clearances of the logged-in user. In addition, it is possible to configure whether a favorites group can be created (users added to the course can be combined into a favorites group), whether changes to the booking status can be made, and whether the attendance tracking function should be displayed. The booking status function allows the enrolment status of participants to be changed; it is made available for participants who already have a status on the course (in edit mode, after saving newly added participants).
Furthermore, the information displayed on the tiles can be adjusted using a user list, allowing flexible configuration of the required data. For this purpose, the user list “list of course participants, easy course creation (113)” is available, allowing greater flexibility in adjusting the attributes displayed on the tiles. The attributes shown on each tile are defined in the “Spreadsheet” tab. If no specific attributes are set, the system defaults to displaying the last name, first name, and ID. To enable the display of attributes, the “Standard” checkbox must be selected. In addition to displaying information on the tiles, filters can also be configured to make finding specific users easier. Filter attributes are configured separately in the “Advanced Search Criteria” tab.
If the system uses the multi-client context configuration, the user list must be edited in the corresponding client context.
Step 5: Add Tutors
Tutors can also be added to courses created via Easy course creation. However, settings related to tutors, such as allowing grading or on-the-job training or defining the tutor's role, cannot be edited. Only the favorites group can be added again as an optional configuration, as in the participant step.
Step 6: Course Overview
The last step in the workflow is an overview section where all changes can be reviewed. The page is structured in the following sections: Course details, Content, and participants. If corrections are required, the corresponding step in the workflow can be accessed by selecting the Edit button (pencil) associated with each section. No further configurations can be made for this step. Both this and the first step are mandatory.
Manage Courses (ECC)
Courses created via the Easy course creation workflow can be managed in the Manage courses section. A different workflow can be assigned for editing courses via navigation. Based on the workflow usage, the list of displayed courses is split to show either internal or external courses. Only a compatible workflow with the correct usage defined can be used to edit a particular course.
When configuring the “course creation workflow” in the “entry point” tab, two things can be configured:
-
courses can be split into separate tabs, based on their planning status
-
showing courses based on their learning mode
When configuring the learning mode, all learning modes are initially taken into account. In this state, the field is empty but includes all available learning modes. Once specific learning modes are selected, only those selected learning modes are considered in Manage Courses.
Note: External courses requested or recorded by learners are only shown in the course manager if configured under “Configuration → Course/ Learning path → Show external courses”. When ticked, external courses requested and/or recorded by learners will be displayed in the “Admin → Content → Course administration → Courses” function, where administrators can make changes.
Course tutoring
Similar to the navigation point for managing courses, a navigation point is available for course tutoring. The difference is that course tutoring only shows courses for which the person is registered as a tutor. Only the editing of components and attendance tracking can be activated via the tutor section in the configuration manager.
Configuration Manager - Course/Learning Path